Dry Eye in the Older Adult

Dry Eye Disease can become an issue for many people as we age. There are many reasons why this occurs including:

Decreased Tear Production: Aging can lead to a reduction in tear production by the lacrimal glands. The lacrimal tears are the watery layer that make up the majority of our tear layer. They are essential for maintaining the health of the front surface of the eye keeping the eye hydrated, clean and providing clear vision.

Changes in Tear Composition: The composition of our tears can change with age. The lipid (oil) portion of tears, which floats on top of the tear layer to trap it against the eye, may decrease which can lead to the tears breaking up and evaporating too quickly. This exposes some of the surface of the eye which can cause irritation and sensations of grittiness or dryness. This increase in tear evaporation is one of the reasons that dry eyes can water too much at certain times, such as a windy day, as the eye tries to compensate for excessive tear loss.  

Hormonal Changes: Hormonal changes that occur with aging, particularly in peri and postmenopausal women, can affect tear production and tear composition. This is why decreased levels of certain hormones can contribute to dry eyes.

Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis and diabetes, which may become more common with age, can be associated with dry eyes.

Medications: Many older individuals take medications for various health conditions, and some of the medications themselves can have side effects that contribute to dry eyes.

Decreased Reflexes: The corneal reflex, which triggers tear production in response to irritation, may diminish with age, leading to decreased tear production and changes to our blinking patterns.

Blinking Changes: Blinking our eyelids is an important mechanism in pumping tears from the glands around the eye to the surface of the eye itself. Changes to our eyelid muscles and age-related changes in blinking patterns can contribute to dry eyes. The eyelid muscles can lose some of their tightness and strength so the pumping mechanism is reduced and individuals may blink less frequently or incompletely, reducing the distribution of tears across the surface of the eye. 

As Dry Eye Disease has many potential causes it can affect different people in different ways. At Soothe Ocular Spa we assess your tears to help determine the type of Dry Eye that you have and work to provide you with a tailored program to manage it.